Kanchenjunga Climbing Route

Two Indian climbers on Nepal’s Mount Kanchenjunga fell sick and died during attempts to rescue them while a Chilean climber is missing, an expedition organizer said Thursday.

Pasang Sherpa of Peak Promotion said Indian climber Biplab Baidya, 48, died on his descent after scaling the 8,596-metre peak.
His fellow countryman Kuntal Karar, 46, died while attempting to reach the top on Wednesday.

“Both died at the height of around 8,000 metres. They fell ill during the expedition. We suspect high-altitude sickness. Chilean climber Rodrigo Vivanco went missing on his decent on Wednesday”, Sherpa added.

Efforts were under way to bring their bodies down to a lower camp.

Kanchenjunga, which straddles the border between Nepal and India, is considered a challenging mountain for climbers.

Hundreds of climbers attempt to climb Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks during the climbing season, which runs between April and May.

Several climbers die in expeditions in the Nepalese mountains every year.
NAN